FLIGHTPATH|59Allhadbeentest-flownbytheendofthe
monthand‘Pappy’,astheyoungermencalled
him, escorted the fighters to Darwin in his
Beech18.Theirultimatedestinationwas
Java, instead of the expected Philippines,
and‘Pappy’gotthemtherebeforeattempting
to rescue aircrew stranded at Del Monte,
Mindanao.HewasshotdownnearZamboan-
ga by Japanese seaplanes. ‘Pappy’ returned
toAustraliabyFlyingFortressaccompanied
byagoodnumberofrescuedaircrew.
In mid-April, ‘Pappy’ was flying a B-25
Mitchell as part of the Royce Mission origi-
nallydetailedtodisrupttheJapaneseforces
layingsiegetoCorregidor.WhenBataan
fell, the plan changed to attacking enemy
shipping and facilities. There was little re-
ward for their effort. The Japanese war ma-
chinerolledon.
‘Pappy’ realised that any hope of seeing his
familyagaindependedontheAllies’turning
things around. The way they were fighting
didn’t work. What they were fighting with was
often ineffective, obsolete, or easy prey for the
Japanese. Bad tactics, bad equipment: the twin
pillarsofdefeat.Itdrovehimcrazytowatchhis
friends ordered to do the same thing over and
over because some book said to do it that way.
They were dying as a result and their replace-
mentswerefewandfarbetween.TheRoyce
Mission had been lucky to not run into serious
fighter opposition. Such luck would not hold in
New Guinea, nor anywhere else.
Anideawasformingandheknewwhoto
bounce it off. He had met the commanding
officerofthe3rdAttackGroup,John‘Big
Jim’ Davies, in Java. His unit was now in
Charters Towers, Queensland, with a hodge-
podge of aircraft including A-24 Banshees
and former Dutch Mitchells. ‘Pappy’, how-
ever, was supposed to be running the 21st
Transport Squadron. His desk and a moun-
tain of paperwork awaited him.
Since December 1941, ‘Pappy’ had made a
living operating outside Army Air Force
conventions. He broke rules, launched soloattacks, ignored chains of command, went
rogueonsupplyclerks,andalwaysgotaway
with it because his motives were pure. He
needed to fight for his family.
He spent the first days back dealing with
schedules for mail aircraft and cargo deliv-
eries, barely keeping his rage and frustra-
tion in check. Running toilet paper between
Brisbane and Townsville certainly wouldn’t
get him back to the Philippines. For the mo-
ment,hewasstuck.
Oneday,hereturnedfromoneofthese
flights to find several brand-new aircraft,
A-20Havocs,lineduponthetarmacat
Archerfield. They looked fast just sitting on
theirtricyclelandinggear.
Jim Davies told him they belonged to the
3rd Attack Group, which was still struggling
with both manpower and aircraft problems.
TheA-20wouldbethegroup’sthirdtypefor
itsfoursquadrons.Gunnsawgreatpotential
iftheHavocswereusedtherightway.Inhis
mind,therightwaywasdownonthedeck.
Forget altitude. That just got men killed.MAIN:Lowlevelattackswerenotwithouttheirrisksofcourse.This
A-20G (43-9477 ‘Tobias the Terrible’) of the 89th BS, 3rd BG attacked
theTaiei Maruon19March1944asitsailedinconvoyoffWewak.The
bomber lost an engine on the run in, but its pilot, Lieutenant John
Soloc, pressed home his skip bombing run. A wingtip and propeller hit
the ship’s mast and the aircraft ditched several miles away.
[ All images via John R. Bruning]ABOVE:A-20A 40-166 ‘Little Hellion’ made a forced landing at 7-Mile
Drome on 1 November 1942 after flak damaged its hydraulic system
over Lae. It exhibits the standard nose gun arrangement designed by
Gunn and Hall. It was repaired and used as a ‘fat cat’ (named ‘The
Steak and Eggs Special’ and then simply ‘Steak and Eggs’) unofficially
delivering fresh food and alcohol from Australia. It crashed again near
Cooktown in June 1944 when it ran low on fuel. Its remains can still be
found on the shores of Low Wooded Island.LEFT:Paul Irvin Gunn had just turned 42 years old when the Japanese
attacked Pearl Harbor.